


Straws and Time

by SlaughterHaus



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Healing, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Time - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-02
Updated: 2013-03-02
Packaged: 2017-12-04 02:02:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 844
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/705222
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SlaughterHaus/pseuds/SlaughterHaus
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Castiel falls, he becomes human, his wings are the only thing that remains. </p><p>The world is harsh and everything hurts.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Straws and Time

**Author's Note:**

> I know this isn't strictly what happens when angels fall, but it works.
> 
> Sorry for any errors, posting from my mobile :)

When Castiel fell he felt his heart beat for the first time. The blood echoed in his ears, too loud and too harsh, throbbing and pounding against his enochian-stained ribs.

He felt his stomach claw and groan, protesting at not being fed in four years.

He felt sick and weak, doubled over while his brain tried to comprehend what was happening to him.

The world swam and the ground was coming towards him and for the first time in his existence, he closed his eyes and fell into a deep sleep.

Castiel slept for four days, and when he awoke Dean was sitting in a chair next to him, watching over him. A rush of emotions slammed his chest and he couldn’t breathe. Funny how oxygen was suddenly so vital to his whole existence.

Dean jerked to his side, a hand grabbing Castiel’s fingers while the other lowered an oxygen mask over the former angel’s face, gravel voice telling him to breathe, thanking gods he was alive.

Castiel calmed down after a few moments, him fingertips clutching Dean’s to give him something to cling to. When he relaxed back, he felt it. A sharp ache all over his body as his muscles protested against everything.

Dean held a cup of juice with a straw poking out of it up to Cas, slipping the straw under his mask and telling him to drink, there was painkillers in it. Seven sips later and he fell back into sleep.

When he woke up the second time he was alone. Craining his head around he spied a baby monitor sitting next to his bed. Next to that there was a clock. 3am.

He flexed his arms a bit, and felt a sharp pain in his arm. Looking down he saw the needle and shuddered. A human reaction. He pulled the needle out, the contents of the IV bag spouting out the end. 

He couldn't feel his grace anymore, his body was heavy and dark inside. 

Creasing his brow he could still feel the bones of his wings tucked into his skeleton. He had thought they would go. 

Slowly he felt them unfold into the room, turning a little when he thought they might hit the lamp.

They were the same as they had been when he was an angel, only they seemed duller. 

He wanted to hide away from the world and sleep. Grabbing his blankets he fluttered his wings just a few feet in the air until he settled on top of the spare blankets and pillows that were kept on top of the large bookcase in his room. 

The movements had drained him. He curled up and slept again.

Weeks passed and no one could get him to talk. It had taken a week to coax him back off of the bookcase, and that was only when they promised he could bring the blankets and pillows down with him. He had pulled them all down and surrounded himself with them. Whenever Dean or Sam went out for groceries they always came back with something new and soft for the angel.

He had become timid, accepting food from Dean's fingertips in small bites and allowing Sam to push a straw between his lips every so often. Gabriel visited almost every day and groomed Castiel's wings and hair, along with giving him a sponge bath every few days.

Castiel never protested, but he really responded except to chew or swallow when prompted. 

Dean told him stories from books, slowly working his way through Grimm's Tales, Sam told him about what was happening in the world, and Gabriel talked about times long past, when the world was just beginning and they had laughed in fields of poppies and daffodils.

It was on the eighty-ninth day that Castiel finally spoke.

Dean asked him what story he'd like to hear today. He always asked even though Castiel never replied. 

"The one about the tin man." His voice was harsher than it had ever been, a hoarse whisper that startled Dean. Castiel turned and smiled sadly, "hello Dean."

"Hey there Cas... You had us worried," Dean blinked back tears, the book forgot on the table as he gripped Castiel's hand. 

Sam and Gabriel came running in, practically tripping over each other in their haste.

"Did we just hear-" "The monitor-" they practically squealed over each other, stopping abruptly when Cas turned to them, the same smile on his lips that he had given Dean.

"Hello."

Two days later Castiel came out of his room, dragging blankets and comforters behind him like a small lost child. 

Dean held his hand out to him from the sofa, and Cas allowed himself to be pulled down, curling into Dean's side.

The TV played in the background, but he watched Sam and Gabriel, the two sharing a chair with their hands intwined and Gabriel's head on Sam's chest. Cas could tell something had shifted and he smiled his first true smile.

Perhaps there was love and happiness to be found in this cruel and dark world.


End file.
